Fred Matiang’i’s lawyer Danstan Omari has denied media reports suggesting that the former Interior Cabinet Secretary is hiding abroad amid ongoing investigations against him in Kenya.
This follows reports that the former minister had quietly jetted out of the country weeks after he alleged that police had invaded his home in Karen, Nairobi.
A document circulating online allegedly from the State Department for Citizen Services indicates that the former CS travelled out of the country on February 19 through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
In a statement on Wednesday, Omari confirmed that the former powerful CS had travelled to the United Kingdom to attend to an urgent family matter but not on the alleged date.
“My client travelled on Sunday 15th February 2023 via KLM (Passenger) Flight KL 566 on a regular private visit to the United Kingdom. Those familiar with his travel schedules over time will confirm that he travels regularly to that part of the world via KLM and – as was in this case – very openly, through open public means. There is nothing sinister about his travel,” Omari said.
“He is there to attend to an urgent private family matter and shall return to resume his ordinary routine as a private citizen.”
Omari further revealed that Matiang’i is unaware of an ongoing probe into his wealth.
“He is not aware of any investigations on him but reckons that constitutional offices are at liberty to discharge their mandate; and that he, too, has the right to due process as a citizen of this country,” he added.
The lawyer said owing to Matiang’i’s immediate role he had, albeit informally, notified senior security sector and diplomatic officials about his two-week trip to the UK.
“It is therefore unfair to cast aspersions on his movement… The aspersions created in the reports are clearly stage-managed wars and evidently driven by Inexplicable vendetta and malice.”
Yesterday, it emerged that investigative agencies were investigating how the former CS acquired his assets.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has written to the Head of Public Service Commission Felix Koskei seeking certified copies of Declaration of Income, Assets, and liabilities forms for the years 2012 to 2022 including the initial and final declarations.
“The commission is carrying out investigations involving former Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government Dr. Fred Matiang’i,” EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak said in a letter dated February 27.
“The Commission wishes to request Certified copies of Declaration of Income, Assets, and liabilities forms for the years 2012 to 2022 including the initial and final declarations,” he added.
The probe seeks to establish if the former CS abused his office to enrich himself.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that he is worth more than what he has declared.
The request came just a few days after Matiang’i failed to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after he was summoned to appear before them on February 24, 2023, over the alleged police raid at his home.
According to his lawyers, the former CS was not served with the alleged summon which made him not attend.
The DCI had also obtained a search order to obtain CCTV recordings from his home to establish the facts surrounding the alleged raid on the night of February 8.
DCI boss Mohammed Amin said upon completion of the investigations they will take action if any officers from any security agency were involved in any unauthorized activities, or if any false information was knowingly disseminated by anyone to the public.
